Tank gauging device



Aug. 17, 1937. c. H. FOLMSBEE 2,090,514

TANK GAUGING DEVICE Clyde -oimsee BY M /rraRA/fy 5 Shee'cs-Shee'fl 2 Filed OCT.. 26, 1934 Filed OC.. 26, 1934 C. H. FOLMSBEE TANK GAUGING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Aug. 17, 1937 UNHTED STATES TANK GAUGING DEVICE Clyde Folms-bee, Berwick, Pa., assigner to American Car and Foundry Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application October 26,

14 Claims.

' This invention relates to improvements in measuring or gauging devices used for measuring the quantity of fluids in vessels which are under super-atmospheric pressure such as tanks 5 and the like.

Previous gauging devices have been bulky, awkward, and hard to operate due to the extended motion necessary in their operation. Sliding, graduated tubes as previously used were hard to lo operate and the graduations scored and removed the' packing so that it was almost impossible to keep the tube properly packed. Itis an object of the present invention to provide a device in which sliding, graduated rods "l5 are eliminated and a properly packed joint is easily maintained.

A further object is the provision of a measuring device having a number of tubes of various lengths that may be moved as a unit to obtain exactly the liquid level. f

A still further object is the provision of a gauging device having a number of different length tubes each having individual valve control.

Still further objects will be apparent to one ,A skilled in the art from a consideration of the following description taken in connection With the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a cross section View of a tank showing the device applied thereto;

Figs. 2 and 3 are detail enlarged sectional views of upper adjoining portions of the device;

Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional views'taken on lines 4-'4 and 5 5 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction indicated;

'35 Fig, 6 is a section taken onk line'B-B of Fig. 1

showing the bottom steadying means for the pipes, and

Fig. 7 is a diagrammaticshowing of the device in use.

40 Referring now to the drawings in which similar characters indicate corresponding parts, the device is shown applied to a car tank I having the usual dome 2 and cover 3 housing and supporting the device. Suspended' from the tank, and more 45 particularly from the manhole cover 4 thereof, is a pipe 5 provided with suitable connections to permit the charging or discharging of fluids. 'It is readily seen that Whether the tank cargo 6 is being charged .or discharged through the pipe 5 e super-atmospheric conditions will exist within the closed tank, and' advantage is taken of this fact to provide a simple device to determine the exact liquid level.

Y The gauging device is supported by means of a o short tubular connectionl having a iianged collar 1934, Serial No. 750,144

(Cl. 'i3- 298) 8 bolted or otherwise attached to the tank lid -and provided adjacent its lower end Withinternal threads S. The upper end of the tubular; connection has an enlarged bore to receive packing I Il clamped down by ring I I in the usual manner, to provide an air tight seal with the gauge device. o K The gauge device consists of a lower pipe I2, joined at i3 to an upper pipe i4 having its lower portion threaded to engage` the internal threads 9 of the tubular connectionand provided `atits upper portion with a control head l5 welded-in place. A plurality of tubes I'I varying'injlengths by a predetermined amount, are mounted within the pipes and clamped theretoat intervals'andatl5 tached at their top ends to the control head. 'Ihe pipes I2 and I4 being sealedfat the upper end, it becomes necessary to provide a vent I8 to insure that the liquid Within and without the pipe-,will remain at the same level; f K o The control head is providedrwith -a central, axial extending, bore I9 threaded at thelovver end to receive a plug threaded at 2 I toreceive a support 22 above whichis placed a ball -23 adapted to rise under abnormal conditions against r the seat 24' to seal the passageV 25. Surrounding the bore I9 are a plurality of smallenaxially extending, bores 26 Yeach adapted to receive a gauge tube. The control head is further provided `with v a plurality of radially extending passages 21,v each 0 intersecting the upper end of a bore'26 and ex-` tending into the bore I9, and havingthe outer end enlarged and threaded to receive the valve and stem 28 which controlsthe connection bel tween passage 21 and bore 26. 'Ihreaded into the passage of the head is a connectionZS pro-v vided with a discharge pipe 3l while immediately above the connection the head is provided witha hexagonal end 32 and shoulder supporting-the disk 33 Welded thereto. 'Y

The head maybe tapped and threaded toreceive numbered indicator plates 34,'one for each valve stem, which also form stops to prevent valves 28 being unscrewed too far and lost, or the valve stems may be' numbered directly as shown to indicate the respective passage and pipelwhich they control. The plates 3l!Y may be vand in practice are formed as a ring which is slid over the top of the head and fastened in place. y

The tubular connection 'l is provided atrvits upper end with threads tor receive a cap, formed of a tube and a hexagonal headed pluglI Welded together, which when screwedv downjin place will effectively seal and protect theV gauging device. Attached tothe tank dome adjacent. they valves Vin the control head are successively opened luntil the adjoining valves are discovered,` one of which allows vapor to escapean.d Y the other of which allows liquid to escape, in the illustration l5 this would be valves marked I5 and30, (see Fig. 1). The entire assembly is then turned yby a wrench applied to the'hexagonal head 32V, and

the entire tube and head assembly is fliftedfby the threads El.V During this turning andlifting thevalve which discharged vliquid is left slightlyl open, or frequently tested, and as soon as vapor is discharged it indicates that the Vlower end of the tube is at the liquid level, andthe ruler 38 is then applied as shown in Fig. '7 and the amount the plate 33 hasrbeen lifted noted and added to the number stamped on, or indicated adjacent, the valve operated in Vdetermining the liquid level. Inthis way the exact depth of the liquid is given if the scale and valves are calibrated by linear Y standardsinches as-shown,.or the scales and valves may be calibrated by s'ome other standard such as volume.

The ball check 23 is provided simply -as a safety means to prevent too rapid discharge of material Yfrom the'tank or vessel and in noway affects the normal gauging operation. l. f Although the device has been illustrated and described as applied to, and used'on, a closed Vtank or vessel wherein superatmospheric pres- 40 Vsure may be maintained, it is obvious that the deviceY may beapplied and .used on any vessel wherein superatmrospheric pressure cannotV be maintained by simply inserting' the Vdevice through. the bottom instead of through the top.' Various `other changes in the application, use

and structure of the device vmaybe made Without departing from the spirit ofthe invention or the scope of the Vfollowing claims.v

Y n What is claimed is: k

1.,A gauging device for containers, comprising a plurality of projecting varying length tubes .through which matter may flow and adapted to be mounted in a4 container, said tubes being reciprocable as a group by a distance atleast equal to the greatest difference in length of the tubes whereby the projection of the tubes may-be reduced during gauging, a head ysupporting said tubes and into which the latter'disch'arge, and

a plurality of valves in said head controllingV the passage ofthe matter through the tubes.A

V2. A gauging device forcontainers, comprising a j plurality of projecting varying length tubes clustered together and through which mattermay lowadapte'd to be mounted in a container, said VVtube cluster being reciprocableV as a group an amount equal Vto V,the difference Vin length of the tubeswhereby projection of Vthe tube kcluster maybe reduced, acommon discharge means'and aplurality; of valves clustered together in said dlshargemeans, each valveass'ociated with a tube to Vcontrolan@ flow ofthe matter to the common discharge means. n

3; A gauging device for vessels containing mat- Vter comprising in combination,a vertically adjustable pipe, a head on said pipe, a plurality-*of varying length tubes within said'pipe and connected to said head thereby permitting adjustment of the tubes as a group, and a plurality of t' valves inV said head controlling the flowV of matter through the tubes.

Y4. A gauging device for containers of matter comprising in combination, a vertically adjustable pipe, a head on said pipe, a plurality oi varying ylength Ytubes within said pipe and connected to said head thereby permitting Vadjustment of the Vtubes as a group, a plurality of valves in said head, each valve associated with a: single tube for `controlling the ow of matter Y Ythrough the respective tube.

5. A 'gauging device for containers of matter comprising in combination, a vertically ,adjustable pipe, a head attached to said pipe and provided with a plurality. of passages and a Ydischarge port, a pluralityiof varying length tubesV `within said pipe each connected to a passage and a plurality of valves in said' head for controlling. the Vflow of matter through the tubes and passages to the discharge'port.

6; VA gauging device for containersV of matter comprising in combinations, tubular member,

a rotatable vpipe'member',within said tubular member, means associated kwith each 'member whereby upon relative rotation of the members the V pipe member is vertically adjusted, a head on said pipeV member,"a plurality of varying length tubes clamped Within'said pipe member and connected to the head, and a plurality of valvesA in said head forrcontrolling the ow'vof matter through the tubes. f

7. A gaugingV device for containers of matter comprising in combination, a rotatable pipe member having a head portion attached thereto, i

a plurality of .varying length tubes supported Within said pipe member and connected to said head, a plurality of valves in said head, each valve associated with asingle tube for v.controlling thelow of matter through the respective tube, a supporting member, and means associated with said pipe member and support member whereby relative rotation of said members will cause vertical adjustment of said pipe member.

8. Agaug'ing device for containers of matter comprising in combination,` a rotatable Vpipe member having'fa head portion attached thereto andprovided with a plurality of passages `and a dischargel port, a plurality of .varying lengthY tubes supported within said pipemember, each tube being connectedto a passage, Va plurality of valves in said'head, each valve associatedwith.

a single tube and passage for controlling .the iiow of matter through the respective tube and passage-to the'discha'rge port, a'supporting member, and-means associated with said pipe member andvsupport member wherebyrelative rotation of said member will cause vertical adjustment of said pipe member.

Y 9. A gauging device for containersfof matter comprising in combination, Va rotatable pipe memberhaving a head portion attached thereto,

a plurality of varying length tubes, supported valve associatedwith a single tube'for controllingthe flowof matter through ther respective tube, a' supporting? member, means associated with said pipe. member and support memberr whereby .relative rotation of said members will cause vertical adjustment of Ysaid pipe member, f Y 'and sealing means associated; with said memwithin said'pipe member and connected to said head, a pluralityV of valvesV in said head, each bers to prevent the escape of matter between the members.

10. A control head for a gauging device comprising, a substantially centrally located axial bore, a plurality of axial passages adjacent said bore, a plurality of radial passages intersecting the axial passages and bore, a plurality of valves, one valve in each radial passage for controlling the passage of matter between the respective axial passage and the bore, a radial bore intersecting said axial bore, and a ball check Within said axial bore operative to prevent excessive discharge of matter through said radial bore.

1l. A gauging device for vessels containing matter comprising in combination, a vertically adjustable pipe, a head on said pipe, a plurality of varying length tubes within said pipe and connected to said head thereby permitting adjustment of the tubes as a group, and valve means in said head for selectively controlling the flow of matter through the tubes.

l2. A control head unit for gauging devices comprising a block having formed therein, a substantially centrally located axial bore, a discharge passage communicating with the bore, a valve adapted to close said passage, a plurality of axial passages within the block and adjacent said bore, a plurality of substantially radial passages intersecting and connecting the axial passages and central bore within the block, and valve means for controlling the passage of matter between the respective axial passage and the central bore.

13. In a gauging device for containers holding liquid and gas, a pipe extending into the container with its outer end portion arranged outside the container and provided with a head, a plurality of valves in said head, and a plurality of varying length tubes assembled as a group and arranged within said pipe, said tubes being respectively connected to said valves: whereby the level of the liquid within said container may be ascertained by the escape of liquid and of gas from the container through said valves.

14. In a gauging ldevice for tanks holding liquid and gas, a unit comprising a plurality of tubes of varying length adapted to be arranged vertically in the tank with the upper end portions thereof outside the tank, a head to which the tubes are secured, and valves for said tubes arranged in the head whereby the level of the liquid in the tank may be ascertained by the escape of liquid and of gas from said valves, said unit being so arranged as to be adjustable in said tank.

CLYDE H. FOLMSBEE. 

